Happy 1st Anniversary to LMC Open Heart Surgery!

Open heart surgery with Dr. Jeffrey Travis and his team at Lexington Medical Center

March 28th marks an important milestone for Lexington Medical Center. It’s the one year annivesary of our open heart surgery program.

Lexington Medical Center has completed nearly 200 open heart surgeries in the first year of its comprehensive cardiovascular care program. The number of surgeries far surpasses Lexington Medical Center’s estimate of 100 to 150 surgeries for the first year. Importantly, it demonstrates the need for comprehensive cardiovascular care in our community.

Lexington Medical Center performed its first open heart surgery on March 28, 2012, after a decade long journey of working to receive state approval for a heart program. The ability to provide comprehensive cardiovascular care, including open heart surgery and therapeutic cardiac catheterizations, helps Lexington Medical Center meet its mission of providing quality health services that meet the needs of our community and enhances the delivery of health care to the Midlands. It has been a priority of the hospital for many years. Lexington Medical Center’s heart program is affiliated with Duke Medicine, home to one of the best heart surgery programs in the country.

The most common types of surgery performed in the first year of the heart program were coronary artery bypass and aortic valve replacement. Each of the patients has a unique and compelling story about their experience with cardiovascular disease and surgery.

The cardiovascular surgery program began in 2012 with Dr. Jeffrey Travis. This year, Lexington Medical Center hired a second heart surgeon, Dr. Steven Marra. In the second year of the program, Lexington Medical Center will work on growing the cardiovascular program’s technology and services inside the cardiac surgery operating room and the hospital’s two busy catheterization labs. In addition, Lexington Medical Center is now expanding electrophysiology, a cardiology specialty that focuses on the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms. That includes catheter ablations for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. The hospital is also looking toward providing minimally invasive aortic valve replacement in the future.

Many of Lexington Medical Center’s heart surgery patients participated in cardiac rehabilitation. Patients worked with staff members to develop a personalized wellness plan that helped them rebuild strength, endurance, emotional well-being and confidence.

The work in Lexington Medical Center’s cardiac care program extends into the community with a robust heart education program and a strong resource for people who want to be involved.

Cardiovascular disease is responsible for one out of every three deaths in our state. According to the American Heart Association, each year in South Carolina, 9,000 people die from heart disease. Life expectancy in the United States would rise by 7 years if all forms of major cardiovascular disease were eliminated.

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This blog is intended for general understanding and education about Lexington Medical Center. Nothing on the blog should be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Blog visitors with personal health or medical questions should consult their health care provider.